People suffer from lack of water, and the authorities develop senseless plans

The other day, videos appeared on social networks that residents of the villages of Mirjalal, Soltanabad, Nasimikend of the Saatly region are suffering from a shortage of water. These videos show that local and central executive bodies do absolutely nothing to provide water to the residents of the listed villages. In the study of this issue, it turned out that residents of the villages of Ortamugan, Cholpu, Khanlarkend, Garanuru of the Saatly region, Soganverdiler of the Barda region, Laki of the Agdash region, as well as the villages of Sabirabad and Shabran regions also suffer from lack of water. Even on the streets of Garay Asadov and Hussein Javid, located in the place known as the "Dairy State Farm" of the village of Ramana, Sabunchi district of Baku, people have long been experiencing the problem of drinking water. Recently, information and photographs have appeared reflecting the fact that there is no water in the Zeyam River, which is a source of water supply for parts of the Shamkir and Tovuz regions, and the emergence of serious problems in connection with this in providing the population living in this region with drinking and irrigation water.

The problems with the lack of water in the center and regions of Azerbaijan have not been resolved for a long time.  On July 23 last year, during a video- meeting on the situation  in the water sector, the head of state, Ilham Aliyev, stated that the provision of drinking and irrigation water in Azerbaijan should be 100%. “In 2004, when the first State Program for the Socio-Economic Development of the Regions was adopted, the supply of drinking water in Azerbaijan was by 40%. Today this figure has reached 70%. In Baku, only 29% of residents constantly received drinking water. Today, this figure has reached approximately 82%. And in the regions, the coverage of the population with drinking water was only 9%. Today this figure is 63%. This is truly a historic achievement” the president said.

First of all, I should note that in 2004, when the first State Program was adopted, the volume of water supplied to the population for drinking and household use was 498 million  cubic meters.  Although this was not 40% of the need, as the head of state says, it still amounted to 36.3%.

On the other hand, in order to find out the percentage of drinking water in the water supply, there must be a criterion. The country has not established a daily norm for drinking and household water per capita. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the daily water consumption per capita at 450 liters. The National Hydrometeorological Service under the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan considers that “the water supplied to households is used mainly for drinking, cooking and hygiene, including basic personal and household hygiene needs, as well as for washing cars, watering the garden and lawn, etc.” .

The message posted on the website of the National Hydrometeorological Service under the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources notes that “In the country, in 2000, from renewable fresh water resources, an average of 131.8 m3 of water was used per capita for domestic purposes, and in 2019, this figure was 113.4 m3.

The population connected to the piped water network increased in 2005 from 41.6% in 2005 to 51% in 2017. And water consumption per capita over the same period decreased by 32.5%, indicating an absolute decline.

At the same time, 49% of the population is forced to meet their water needs through self-sufficiency and is still not connected to the water supply system. This moves Azerbaijan further from achieving United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) goal 6.1 - ensuring universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water by 2030.”

Irrigation water situation

According to WRI (World Resources Institute) forecasts, by 2040 one fifth of the world's countries will face the problem of water scarcity. Azerbaijan is also named as one of the countries that will face the threat of drought. Azerbaijan ranks 18th out of 33 countries. Because our country is somewhere in the middle of the list does not mean that we will have the same problems during the period of water shortage. The problem is that with the availability of water resources at least 4-5 times greater than the needs of the country, the need for irrigation water is not satisfied, and Azerbaijan ranks the 18th  in this list is dangerous because the losses water in the country is extremely high. As I have already noted, the problem of shortage of fresh water in the world has already become an urgent problem.

Population growth and the growing demand for food products in Azerbaijan are causing an increase in the area of ​​irrigated land. Available resources make it possible to increase the area of ​​irrigated land up to 4 million hectares. However, the existing problems in this area that do not have their own solutions hinder the realization of this potential. The country uses water resources inefficiently, and in this case, the expansion of irrigated land will lead to even greater water losses. Azerbaijan ranks first in the statistical information provided by the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan regarding water from natural sources, its consumption and losses with 28.3% (2019) among the CIS countries in terms of water losses.

Table 1. Water from natural sources, its consumption, losses (million cubic meters)

In April 2020, in order to ensure the efficient use of water resources in the country, improve water management and coordinate activities in this area, a commission was established under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev. On July 27 of the same year, the "Action Plan for ensuring the rational use of water resources for 2020-2022" was approved. According to the plan, the implementation of the main activities was to be completed in 2020-2021. However, the measures envisaged in this plan continue to remain on paper. Even the activities that expired in 2020-2021 were again included in the action plan of the "Strategy for Socio-Economic Development for 2022-2026" and the time for their implementation was extended for a longer period.

Recently, the Azerbaijani authorities adopted the "Strategy for the socio-economic development of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022-2026." This document notes that "the supply of drinking water to the population will reach from 70% to 85%, and the provision of irrigation water - from 80% to 90%." But since it is not clear by what criteria they determine the provision, it is also not clear to what extent it will be increased in the future. The action plan of the "Strategy for the socio-economic development of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022-2026" indicates the direction of activities related to water:

Direction of activity 1. In 2022-2024, it is planned to carry out an assessment, electronification of water management, improvement of the accounting system and educational work in the country. In the column of intermediate results of the plan, it is indicated that in 2023 “an assessment of water resources in the country and the integration of data into the information system “Electronic Water Management” will be carried out, and in 2024 effective water resources management will be achieved.” As we can see, according to the action plan “To ensure the efficient use of water resources for 2020-2022” adopted two years ago, the creation of the information system “Electronic Water Management” (ESTIS), the electronization of the country’s water balance and its inclusion in ESTIS, integration through e-government information system of the relevant information systems in ESTIS, were to be completed in August 2020. However, this time the deadline for the implementation of the same measures by another document was extended until 2023.

Direction of activity 2. In 2023-2026, it is planned to “expand the practice of using alternative water sources”. As an intermediate result, “savings in fresh water sources available on the territory of the country” were noted, and as the final result, “improvement in the level of provision of the population with drinking water” was noted. The action plan provided by the document raises questions: First, how will the expansion of the practice of using alternative water sources be carried out during 2023-2026? Secondly, how will the fresh water sources available in the country be saved in 2024? Thirdly, as a result of what measures will there be an “improvement in the level of provision of the population with drinking water”?

Direction of activity 3. In 2022-2026, it is envisaged to “reduce water losses and increase water resources”. In 2023-2025, "the reconstruction of irrigation canals and the creation of new reservoirs" are planned, and in 2026 - "the prevention of water losses, the creation of an additional fund of water resources in the country."

Direction of activity 4.  "In 2022-2026" it is provided for the  expansion of sources of drinking water, the construction of a complex of treatment facilities (for wastewater treatment) and main sewer collectors. In the column of indicators for the base year of the Action Plan, it is indicated that in 2021 the construction of the sewer system of 32 cities and district centers was completed. If the document covers 2022-2026, then what is the need to include the work done in 2021 in the action plan? Further, in the column of intermediate results, “Provision of the population with a centralized sewerage system and wastewater treatment with their subsequent disposal” is indicated, and as the final result “Prevention of pollution of the Caspian Sea and other basins”. Despite the  Paragraph 4 of the action plan mainly provides for the expansion of sources of drinking water, nevertheless, no measures are envisaged for this purpose.

"Action Plan to ensure the rational use of water resources for 2020-2022" adopted over the past two years and the "Strategy for the socio-economic development of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022-2026" do not contain specific measures related to solving the problems existing in the industry.

Addition 1

Action plan "Strategy of socio-economic development for 2022-2026".

[1]https://www.facebook.com/rustamli/posts/pfbid05yQhseP9QXz3AKBZVF9sF7cXnak5T8GQ4oaTrRPKpAECimhaRU1w8hV75a5BHNrrl  

[2] https://meteo.az/index.php?ln=az&pg=124

[3]https://meteo.az/index.php?ln=az&pg=124